Resignation
by floodmaster16
Summary: Sequel to Heartbroken. Mavis and Johnathan deal with each other's absence, while Dracula tries to track the human down. Will their love be enough to reunite them or are they doomed to a separate existance? Strongly recommended to read Heartbroken first.
1. Unhealing wounds

**So, after the small success of Heartbroken I decided to make a series out of this whole idea. I hope you get to like this stories as much as I love to write them (yeah, call me old-fashioned or cheesy, but my writing is always an act of love for literature) and, well, what else can I say?... As always, reviews are welcomed (except flaming and trolling, if you can do better then do it, please, no need to brag about it and throwing crap at other)**

_From the Journal of Count Dracula, September 30, 2012_

_It's been two days since I failed to my daughter. She hasn't left her room at all, and everytime I try to talk to her I hear her crying through her room's door. The shrunken head went as far as to bite me when I tried to open the door once. I'm scared, genuinly scared, for her. I've never seen her so sad, and it breaks my heart, even more so when I remember that it is all my fault; I lied, I tried to kick Johnny out, and ultimately, I couldn't stop her Zing from leaving. I've been trying to track Johnny down, but it has proven a fruitless endeveour, and while I still have hope that I'll succeed, everyday that passes takes away my hope. Martha, please, help me, tell me what to do on this dire times. Help me console our daughter, for I have no idea how to do so._

_-Vlad Dracula_

Dracula stopped writing, letting the ink dry before closing the small leather notebook. He placed his elbows on the desk and rested his head on his open hands. He hadn't had time to diggest the situation, having to still run the hotel, and checking out the majority of the monsters. Now, after most of them were gone, he finally allowed his brain to fully process what happened (and was still happening). He finally cried, long and loud, but no one heard it, since his office was sound-proofed from the rest of the hotel. He cried briefly, regaining some measure of composture, but still keeping his head down. If Martha was here, she would be so ashamed of me...

_From the Diary of Mavis Dracula, October 2, 2012_

_I wake up every morning with the hope that Johnny is back, but every day my hopes get crushed under the weight of reality. I wasn't lying to my dad when I told him I had no more dreams; I don't want to go out into the world anymore, I don't want to meet people my age, I just want Johnny to come back (tears stain the page as she writes this). My dad keeps trying to talk to me, but I don't want to listen to him yet. I know he feels responsible for what happened, and maybe he is, but right now he's the only thing I got left, I need him now more than ever, but first I need time for myself. Johnny, where are you? Please, come back, I need you. I can't imagine life without you, there's nothing out there for me but you. Please, I miss you!_

_-Mavis_

Mavis closes the book, setting it by her side on the bed. She's curled up hugging her legs as the tears keep coming out of her eyes. She had forfeited make-up after the second day, she didn't feel like using it anymore. Every part of her old self reminded her of Johnny, so she had ripped the cape she had worn that night and avoided make-up like it was garlic. The only reason she still dressed in the same clothes was that she didn't really have anything else to wear. She heard a slight knock on her door but she didn't moved in that direction at all.

"Miss Mavis?" said a soothing voice from behind the door, "it's Claire"

Mavis remembered the name; it was one of the witch-maids that worked at the hotel. Claire was special because she used to baby-sit Mavis when Dracula was to busy to keep an eye on her, so she had grown fond of the witch.

"Do I let her in, my dear?" asked the shrunken-head on her door, who was also a confident of her at times (and had undoubtedly heard her cry all this time). Mavis thought about it for a second, and then decided that maybe talking to somebody could be helpful.

"Come in" she said, voice broken and hoarse from crying.

Claire turned the door-knob, and was shocked instantly by Mavis' look. Her eyes were blood-shot red and swollen, the reason not very hard to determine. Her eyelids were puffy, and unshed tears were welling on them. Claire stepped cautiously on the room, and her face told Mavis everything she suspected: the days of crying had taken their toll on her.

"My child, look at you" Claire said sadly, sitting besides Mavis on the bed. Mavis didn't moved, her head was vowed down, and her lower lip was quivering with desire to keep crying. Claire's heart sank on her chest, and she quickly embraced Mavis in a motherly hug. Claire was the closest thing to a mother Mavis had ever known, so she returned the hug, and for a moment she felt safe and loved, but it was a momentary relief from the pain her heart felt.

"Mavis, my child, you have to stop crying, look at you"

"I can't, I really want to, but I can't" Mavis replied, sobbing again, the welled tears flowing freely over her slightly-puffy cheeks, "I feel so sad, Claire, I feel empty ever since Johnny left. I can't stop thinking about him, and it makes me sad that he left, specially after saying those horrible things!"

Claire understood pretty well, she had been on the party where everything happened, she had heard the heart-shattering words the human had said, wanting to tear him apart for it. It was only later that she learned that the kid hadn't meant any of it, that it was (unsurprisingly) Dracula's fault that he had said that.

"He didn't meant any of it, my child, he was just afraid of what you father would have done"

"How can you be so sure!"

"I know it, my little girl. He loved you just as much as you do" Mistake, big, terribly enormous mistake.

Mavis exploded in tears, her head deep on her pillow, crying so loudly that probably everyone in the same floor would hear it, if the hotel were to be occupied (which, fortunately, wasn't the case). Claire realized her mistake, rubbed Mavis' back, trying to calm her, but resigned to watch her cry when the effort proved fruitless. She stood up, slowly making her way to the door, where she had left a tray floating mid-air. She took the tray and placed it on the room's desk, taking yesterday's one. She then silently left the girl's room.

She found Mavis' father, Dracula, on the hallway, approaching the room with a sad expression on his face. He looked up to her in a questioning way, as if he were to ask about the state of his daughter. Claire nodded her head slightly, and that told Dracula everything he needed to know. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet. _And how can I blame her? She must hate me so much._


	2. Comfort

**Here we are again, thanks for the support and the reviews, we are bound to have a good time. Anyways, after waking up, having dinner and spending a good part of the night playing Aliens: Colonial Marines (in that specific order), I had an epiphany of sorts, so I've got enough material for a few more chapters. By the way, Johnny-lovers (aside from Mavis) are gonna be quite disappointed to know that he will rarely have appearances in this story ("Awww, why?" Because), but don't worry, I'll make it up to you later. With nothing else to add...**

_From the Journal of Count Dracula, October 2, 2012_

_I went to see Mavis tonight, trying again to just speak to her. Before arriving I stumbled into Claire. She was just coming out of my daughter's room, her face sad. I asked her how was she, and she told me that she was really bad. She barely even touches the food brought to her and she seems to be unable to stop crying. Claire looked like she had seen a torch-wielding human, the best I could do was to tell her it was going to be alright, but I don't believe it myself._

_My search for Johnathan is still on, but nobody seems to have seen him after his departure. Winnie couldn't track him down, the smell now too faint to be useful, leaving my options scarce. I don't know if I could face my little Dead Ums if I fail this too, I'm ashamed of myself as it is._

_-Vlad Dracula_

Dracula sets aside the book once the ink dries off. He puts his elbows on the desk and then rests his forehead in his hands, thinking about his options. _I don't have much in the way of options, though..._

A slight knock comes from his door, robbing his attention.

"Come in" he said, his usual tone of authority and security long gone.

Claire stepped into his room, having finished her night-shift. Unike the majority of the witches working in the hotel, Claire's skin wasn't green, nor did she have any of the "traditional" witch traits. Instead, she looked almost human (or vampire)-like, with a slender body, dark-brown, long, straight hair and a quite beautiful face, with green eyes and reddish lips.

"Hey", she timidly said, slowly making her way to Dracula's desk, where he was slumpped in his chair.

"Hey", he answered back, not really looking to her but in her general direction. She understood how he felt, for she loved Mavis as much as he did, having taken care of her since she was a 23-year-old toddler who just couldn't stay still, constantly exploring the hotel and finding new secret passages and tunnels, giving both of them massive head-aches that quickly faded away after they would find her, smiling and giggling at the prospect of adventure. The memories brought a little smile to her, but it died down when she arrived to his chair, looking almost as bad as she had seen Mavis. While he didn't cried (too proud for it) , he had puffy-eyes, undoubtedly from not sleeping, and his usual energy was nowhere to be found. Claire felt a pinch in her heart, seeing how sad and demolished her lover looked.

"Is there any luck?" she asked, regarding Dracula's attempt to find and bring Johnny back. She didn't really think it was gonna work, but there really was nothing to lose for trying.

"No", Drac answered, still lost on his thoughts, "nobody has seen him, Winnie can't track him and we cannot ask the humans about him, lest we put ourselves in danger." Suddenly he slammed his fist in his desk, an outburst of impotence more than rage, causing the wooden furniture to buckle on the spot. Claire jumped slightly at this, never having seen him doing so, but then took his hand into hers and stroked his face with the other, trying to calm him and give some measure of comfort.

"You ain't sleeping, are you?" she simply asked, bringing his gaze towards her eyes.

Dracula simply sat there, looking at her, and slightly nodding in response to her question. A sigh scaped from her mouth, and then she took the old vampire to his coffin, helping him to lay down on it. She then laid herself by his side, resting her head on his chest and seting her arm around his stomach. He wrapped his left arm around her, bringing her closer to him. He suddenly felt relief, and his eyes sealed shut shortly after. She remained awake for some time, looking at him as he slet. _He's adorable when he sleeps, _she thinks, slightly smirking at the thought. She then thought about all the time they had been together as a couple, little more than 80 years now. While she was not his Zing (his late wife Martha having that particular honor), he definitely was hers. She knew she was no substitute for Martha, but she didn't want to, after all Martha's was Mavis' mother and Drac's greatest love, but life must go on, and so, Dracula and Claire had started this awkward "dating", knowing that they were meant to be, Zing or not. They had never gotten around to tell Mavis about it, and it pained Claire to realize that the present situation would make matters even worse.

_At some point she fell sleep, because she couldn't remember anything after that by the next morning._

* * *

James was worried about his son. Again.

Johnathan hadn't left his room at all ever since his arrival a couple of weeks ago, and his eating had spiked, heavily worrying him and Tracey, his wife. Johnny's brothers had traveled back from their homes to greet him back, only to find an empty expression on their brother's face, him looking a lot like a mindless drone. Instead of a warm family reception where he would tell them all about his trips he wordlessly headed for his room and locked himself in.

The brothers would eventually be forced to go back to their lives, telling their parents to keep them updated on any changes, but so far there was no sign of it being the case.

"I'm going to talk to him" he said to his wife, heading for his son's room.

"Are you sure? What if he only needs time?" she answered.

"It's been too long, I can't tolerate seeing him like that. If there's anything I can do to help him then I want to know"

He knocked on the door, calling Johnny by his name, until a familiar figure opened the door slightly, a sad expression stamped on its face.

"Son, I want to talk to you, please, let me in" James said in a soft tone, trying hard not to rush and overwhlem his son with questions.

Johnny looked his father in the eyes, lowered his shoulders , and then opened the door as he sighed, sitting in the edge of his bed. James eyed the room taking in the small details: the unpacked backpack Johnny had arrived with, the dusty furniture that hadn't been cleaned in the past weeks and the heavily disturbed bed, evidence that Johnny hadn't done much but lay down and watch the ceiling. James sat by his son's side, waititng for him to say something. Anything.

After a couple of minutes of silence, James finally found the courage to ask his son the obvious question.

"Johnny, what's going on? What happened to you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, dad" he dryly answered after 10 seconds of silence.

"Don't give me that, Johnny. Ever since you came back you are not the same. What happened, is there something wrong? Please, I'm your dad, you know you can trust me"

Johnny sighed, pondering about it. _He wouldn't believe me, he would think I'm hallucinating or that I was high, or something like that_, he thought, but then realized he really had nothing to lose by now. _I already lost Mavis..._ He shifted his gaze towards his dad and saw his expectant gaze.

"If I tell you, I want you to promise that you will take me seriously, that you will believe what I'm about to tell you and will not doubt about it" he said, with pleading eyes. James didn't understand what was all that about, but he nodded to his son anyways.

"I mean it, dad, this is something very serious, and you can't talk about it with anybody"

"I'll trust you, son"

Johnny gathered his thoughts and courage, trying to pick his words carefully.

_It happened in Romania..._

* * *

Mavis sat by the window, using the wall as sun-shield. She had grown fond of sunrises, the natural spectacle giving her a small moment of peace in her otherwise dark reality. Tears fell from her eyes, as she remebered her first sunrise, on top of the hotel's roof and behind a chimney, Johnny's ideas to keep her away from the light's harmful touch. The tears glinted slightly in the new-day light. After a while she pulled away, closed the thick, dark courtains and curled on her bed, tears still rolling from her eyes, but in a more controlled way.

_Her heart had finally accepted Johnny's absence, but still clamored for his presence, albeit in more subtle ways..._

_Johnny... _

* * *

_Mavis..._

_I'm sorry... _

* * *

**Oh! Killjoy! Anyways. Leave your thoughts on the "Reviews" section, please. I **_**MIGHT**_** upload a new chapter on Monday, but I don't promise anything. Thanks for reading, I'm going on a bug hunt (loads his Pulse Rifle and Pump Shotgun)**


	3. Fatherly Support

**Fatherly support**

**You want to read more, I want to write more. Win-win, if you ask me. Anyway, enjoy, hopefully this one is not as stale as it looks to me.**

_I was in Romania, for the Monster Festival celebration. I went mountain-climbing with some guys I met at one of the youth hostels. On the way back, I picked up lunch at a local tavern, and the owner told me about some spooky forest outside of town. It seemed fun enough, so I decided to go check it out after sun-down._

_I walked long, it was really cool and stuff, but then I stumbled into this burning village-prop, this goofy guys dismounting it. I later found out they were like... you know... (sigh) zombies. I know it sounds stupid, but just let me finish. Anyway, I followed them to this, like, amazing castle in the middle of nowhere. I entered and met the owner, who was no other than Count Dracula. Yes, THAT Dracula. I didn't know the monsters in it were real, I thought they were people in costumes or the like, but they weren't. I kind of freaked out -who wouldn't?-, thinking Dracula was going to suck my blood out and all that, but I found out that they were actually nice, you know? In fact, they are not so different from us, they've got families and everything. _

_The point is, he didn't wanted me to stay, for being human, he thought I was like the ones who... killed his wife. He disguised me as a Franken-hommie and tried to kick me out, but then..._

…

_I meet this girl, beautiful, like nobody I've ever seen. I literally crashed into her, and when I saw her in the eyes... It was like a spell, like, it's meant to be. I began hanging out with her, it was her birthday so her Dad was throwing a party, and he used the excuse to explain me being there. She had been in the hotel all her life, and wanted to travel, but her dad had ket her locked inside. I told her about my trips and.. we were hitting it off nicely, but Drac still didnt wanted me around. He got over it a little bit when we raced on this awesome flying tables. He saved me when a weird guy tried to eat me, and then..._

_It all went to hell. He told me about his wife, and then I realized... me being there, having something to do with her... I would have hurted him, and her, their name, having already lost his wife and her mother to people like us, and me always reminding him of that day. I was ready to leave before the party, but he told me to hang on and sneak out when it was over. The party arrived shortly, we were having a good time, it was awesome, probably the best party I've been. We danced and then..._

_She kissed me._

_It was, like... I don't know, I felt like a electric current, felt sparks flying... it's hard to describe._

_Obviously, Drac didn't liked it. Not one bit. He accidentally confesed that he had played Mavis with the false village, and then the weird guy blew my disguise. Everybody panicked..._

_She told me she didn't mind, that she still wanted to be with me..._

_I was so happy, thrilled, to think about it..._

_And I saw Drac, he looked demolished by all of it._

_And I lied._

_I told her I hated monsters, that I didn't liked her. I felt... bad. No, worse than bad. I felt... like something broke inside of me. I couldn't even look at her a last time, I felt so fake and pathetic. I took a plane back immediately._

* * *

"And now I'm here" Johnny finished, lying on his bed, looking at the ceiling.

James was speechless.

Had his son gone mad? Dracula? Zombies? What the hell was going on in his head? Yet, he had never seen him being as serious as he was. He was usually very laid-back, easy-go-happy, and know, he was the complete opposite. He found himself conflicting internally, wether or not to believe his son. Even if he did... what then?

"You don't believe me" Johnny declared flatly, looking now at his father while James kept thinking about everything he had just listened.

A long and hollow silence filled the room.

"I-I really d-don't know what to make out of this."

"It's OK, I didn't really expected you to believe it. Just, don't tell anybody about this. I left for a reason, and if people find out and they do something... It would all have been for nothing..."

"Who would believe me, kid? I'm... I'm not sure about all this, this is the stuff movies are made of, not our everyday-life" James mused briefly.

"Yeah, whatever. Would you mind leaving? I want to grieve on my own. Please"

James understood and, without much in the way of words, he left the room.

Johnny curled in his bed and hugged his legs, thinking about Mavis. Her beautiful blue-eyes, her bangy jet-black hair, her puffy, yet adorable cheeks, and her black, soft lips. He then remembered the kiss they shared, and did his best to not cry, instead just burying his face on the pillow.

_I miss you so much._

* * *

Mavis sat on her bed,, hugging her legs.

She had finally stopped crying, no more tears to shed anymore, yet she felt hollow on the inside, the intense pain in her heart numbing every other feeling. She wasn't hungry, nor sleepy, she was sad and hurt, the pain now a familiar sensation,. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she failed to hear her father's foot-steps approaching her room. She was pulled out of her grief when he decided to knock on the door.

"Mavis, honey, please, let me in"

"Go away, Bat Rat, you've already done enough to her!" snapped the shrunken head at Dracula.

"She's my daughter, none of your business, gift-shop souvenir" he jabbed back, and reached for the door-knob.

"OH, REALLY?!" shouted the head, bitting Dracula's hand when it was within reach.

The old vampire yelped in pain as he recoiled, and then used his magic to sew the head's mouth off.

"That will teach you!"

Mavis could only roll her eyes at this, her father's childish behavior amusing her slighty. She finally sighed, having expected this moment for a couple of hours now.

"Come in, dad" she hoarsely said, having not talked to anyone but Claire all along.

Dracula opened the door and stepped into the room slowly. He gasped when he saw his daughter. Bloodshot-red eyes, swollen eyes, very thin physique. It made his guilt suddenly resurface, watching his daughter in this zombie-like state, and knowing for certain that it was entirely his fault.

"Mavis, honey bat..." He softly said. His daughter looked at him in the eye, and he could see all the sadness reflected in them. He wanted to hug her, to tuck her in close and comfort her, but for the first time he wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do now. His daughter made the decision for him, throwing herself into her father, hugging him tightly, while heaving softly and keeping her eyes tightly shut. Dracula embraced his daughter, pulling her close and soothing her.

"Don't cry, my blood orange, please" he said in a sad tone.

"I-I miss h-h-him dad" she softly declared, finding a few tears to shed, "I miss him too much"

Drac's heart sank on his chest. He and Johnny had finally had bonding of some class before everything that happened, and he was sure that, given enough time, he would have considered the human a very good friend. But it was nowhere as painful as he was sure it was for Mavis, who had fallen in love with the young man, and was now suffering dearly when things went south. _This ain't how it's supposed to be, _the legendary vampire thought, _Zings are meant to be together, not taken apart and left to suffer. Martha, I'm so sorry, you must be disappointed in me. _

Mavis broke apart the hug, albeit slowly. She had missed her dad for the last weeks, and she didn't want to break their first time together just yet. While she resented that her father was the ultimate responsible for what had happened, she couldn't imagine being left alone now. Her father was the only family she had left (not counting her aunts and uncles). If anything happened, if he was missing, she would be truly alone, and the thought of it frightened her.

"Honey, I'm so sorry" Dracula told his daughter, tears welling in his eyes, finally breaking his pride, "I'm sorry, I really am. There's not a night I spend without regretting what I did. I'm sorry for lying to you, f-for setting up the fake village... for ruining your opportunity of... love"

Silence fell on the room. Mavis looked how defeated, crushed and guilty her dad looked in front of her. Her heart fluttered, filled with all the emotion she was perceiving.

_They embraced again. And they cried together._


	4. Delirium

**Delirium**

**Hello! This chapter is kind of an experiment, so feedback on it will be really appreciated. It was inspired by Mood's Change, so you may recognize some details if you had read it before. Enjoy!**

_From the Diary of Count Dracula, October 20, 2012_

_Something is wrong with Mavis. Everytime I go check on her before sunrise I hear her talking to someone. At first I tought it was Claire, but when I asked her about it she told me that she rarely had time to visit her, and even then, only for a few minutes. I've tried to find an explanation for it, but I keep bumping my head against the wall. She cannot be using the skull-phones, they are only wired to the reception desk and other rooms, and her aunts and uncles have already checked out a long time ago, in fact. _

_Sometimes I find her wandering the corridors aimlessly, muttering things to herself and talking into thin air. I was happy that she finally had gotten out of her self-impossed cell, but now I'm scared that she might hurt somebody... or herself. I need to know what's wrong with her._

_-Vlad Dracula_

* * *

Mavis felt dizzy. She could barely keep her balance.

She had woken up just a few minutes ago, feeling lightheaded at first, but when she stood up from the bed she could feel the floor moving bellow her feet. Her knees failed her and she fell on her back on the floor, unable to get back on her feet again. She tried to scream for help, for her dad, Claire, or one of the witch-maids to come and help her, but the words never came out.

"Mavis, little bat, are you alright?" asked the shrunken head outside her room, having heard a loud thump inside. Mavis tried to ask for help again, but it proved fruitless once more. _What's going on, what's wrong with me?!, _she thought to herself, deeply scared. Sleepyness began taking her over, her eyelids suddenly too heavy to remain open. She fought with all the force she could muster, but it was a losing fight. As she began losing conscience, a famiiar face appeared in front of her eyes, his messy red hair taking most of her vision, but his freckled face still familiar to her. She felt her hand being taken, and suddenly she stopped fighting.

"It's okay, just let go" she heard on her ear.

With the last of her energy, she could only mutter one last word.

_Johnny..._

* * *

The shrunken head was alarmed. She quickly yelled for one of the armors on the hall.

"Get Miss Claire, quickly, there's something wrong going on in here"

The armor quickly passed the message to Claire, who was working in the kitchen, helping the new chef to keep the place clean. An armor approached her, the heavy clanking of his steps catching her attention.

"Miss, there's a problem in room 174"

Claire's heart skipped a beat.

_Mavis!_

Without a word, she rushed to the teen's room at top speed, reaching it in mere seconds. She stormed through the door and almost collapsed on the spot. Mavis was unconscious on the carpeted floor. Claire moved swiftly, picking up the thin, almost skeletical body and placing it on the bed. She then sent another armor to fetch Hilda, the oldest witch working in the hotel. Hilda arrived less than 5 minutes later and examined the young vampire.

* * *

Dracula was, as usual, trying run his hotel. The task proved to be quite simple now that most of the guests were away. He was in the middle of a not-so-important conversation with the receptionist when one of the armors approached him hurriedly.

"Sir, there's an emergency!"

"Anoher clogged toilet?" answered the Count, rolling his eyes slightly.

"No, sir, it's your daughter. Miss Claire is in her room, something apparently went wrong"

Dracula was already zooming to his daughter's room when the armor mentioned her.

* * *

It was dark. Mavis couldn't see anything beyong her own hands. _What is this place?_

There was no sound other than that of her own footsteps, and it disturbed her.

"Mavey"

She froze on the spot. The voice, recognizable to her no matter the situation, could only belong to one person. She quickly turned around and found herself face to face with its owner.

"Johnny!", she yelled, her voice full of happiness, forgetting her fear and discomfort. She embraced her lover tightly, burrying her head on his shoulder. She then noticed something. Johnny was stiff, like the hotel's armors when they were not needed. She backed up, suddenly more fearful than before.

"Johnny? What's going on? Where am I?!"

The floor suddenly lifted and she was thrown into the air. She felt like she was in a never ending fall. Her body stopped falling and suddenly she was facing a copy of herself. She was petrified, until her copy slapped her hard in the face, interrupting her thought process.

"Well, look who decided to drop by uninvited" her clone said. Johnathan suddenly sprang into motion and hugged the clone by the hips, an unwelcoming grimace in his face. Mavis just stood there, her hand covering her bruied cheeck, tears welling on her eyes.

_I'm just dreaming, I have to wake up, I need to get out from this nightmare..._

* * *

Dracula was sitting on a chair by his daughter's side. Ten minutes had passed since he had gotten the alert, and now he couldn't stay away from his daughter..

"She's stable for the time being" Hilda told the Count, having already made the best she could.

"What happened to her?" the Count softly asked, stroking his daughter's cheek.

"She suffered from a mild nutrients deficiency. I spoke to Claire, and she says that Mavis has not been eating properly, if at all. The lack of mutrition caused a shock to her sytem and made her lose conscience"

"Is she going to be alright?" the old vampire asked, worried for his daughter's health.

"She'll be alright as long as she eats properly from now and on. However, there's another... issue. In rare cases, nutritional deficiency on vampires manifests with severe hallucinations. Given what has happened in the last weeks, I think it's probable she's... well..." Hilda couldn't finish the entence, but Dracula understood pretty well.

"You really think she's suffered psychological damage?" he steeled himself to ask.

"It's very unlikely, but we shouldn't discard the possibility"

Dracula watched his daughter as she lay on her bed. He noted that very now and then she frowned and made small gestures with her face.

_She's dreaming..._

* * *

"Who are you?" Mavis asked to her copy, still covering her cheek. The clone laughed, not warmly, but coldly and meanly, as if she had nothing but contempt for Mavis.

"I am Mavis Dracula" the clone shot at her, smirking meanly, "The REAL Mavis Dracula. And you, you are only a vapid, coward weakling taking my body"

At this, she lashed at Mavis, who barely had any time to get out of the way. A second swing caught her square in the nose, sending her tumbling backwards. The now clearly evil clone grabbed by the bangs of her hair, holding her close.

"What do you want?!" Mavis asked, her nose bleeding profusely. The clone laughed in her face and raised her arm, slapping her with it in the same cheek than before. Mavis fell to the ground, tears now flowing freely due to the pain.

"I. Want. My. Body. BACK!" the clone yelled, while she kicked Mavis' floored figure. Mavis was now crying, feeling her ribs bruised, pretty sure that one of them was cracked. Her clone rolled her eyes and returned to Johnathan, who had done nothing to defend Mavis.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!" Mavis yelled, still crying from the pain inflicted on her. The clone just stood there with Johnathan, watching her cry and clutch her chest, nose still bleeding. Then she walked back to Mavis and lifted her chin. Mavis didn't looked at her in the eye, but her clone forced her.

"Look at me. LOOK AT ME!. Why am I doing this? Because you are a weak, pathetic excuse of myself. You've spent weeks crying for Jhonny's departure, and then, all of the sudden, you just forgive the BASTARD responsible for it? Un-fucking-acceptable!"

"He's my dad!... OUR DAD!" she yelled back, which earned her another slap.

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! He doesn't care either!" Mavis felt her heart grow colder at this last remark.

"What do you mean..."

"You heard me, little crying princess! You think he understands? He's been having fun with Claire all along, while you have been crying yourself off like a little 50-year-old girl! Gee, you are slow!" Mavis couldn't believe it. Dracula had always told her that he loved her Mom more than he could ever love somebody (except her, of course). How could he...

"You are really wondering that? HE LIED TO YOU, FOR PETE'S SAKE! Are you really believing him, after what he did to you?!"

Mavis wanted to, she really wanted, but the clone made a point. The evil copy grabbed her by the neck and propped her up effortlessly.

"I give you one last chance to clean up your act, little girl. If you don't, I won't be so kind the next time" At this, she struck Mavis with her knee, knocking her out cold from her realm, but bringing her back to reality.

_Last chance, Daddy's girl..._


	5. Breakdown

Breakdown

Mavis woke up abruptly, only to find herself on her bed. Her breathing was heavy and she could feel an uncomfortable sensation on her torax. She discreetly pulled up her minidress and was shocked when she saw bruises around her ribcage.

"What the..." she began, but was interrupted by a slight commotion on her door

"Is she up already?" she heard her father ask in a low tone.

"I think so, but you shouldn't disturb her yet" the shrunken head anwered, strangely calmed (she always trie to annoy the old vampire).

Dracula ignored the head and opened the door, knocking slightly as he did so to announce himself. Mavis had already sat back in the bed, hugging her legs nervously, her bruised torax protesting against it.

"Honey" he softly said, looking at her "are you alright?"

Mavis faced her Dad, about to answer, but she suddenly found herself overwhelmed by thoughts she was sure weren't hers.

_Lash at him_

What?

_Johnny is gone because of him_

Stop it

_He doesn't care about you_

That's no true!

_He betrayed you!_

STOP IT!

"Mavey?"

Mavis broke out of her trance and realized she hadn't answered her father's question.

"I'm OK, Dad" she dryly said, more for her benefit than that of her father.

Dracula walked slowly towards her and sat on the edge of the bed. He took a good look at her before trying again.

"You had us worried, Dead Ums" he said, trying to get her to talk.

"Why?" she simply asked, not looking at him.

"Well, you fainted, and we weren't sure why it happenned. Hilda said you haven't been eating properly. Claire confirmed it, and... we are worried, honey-bat. About you"

Mavis blood boiled at the mention of Claire, something that had never (ever) happened.

_She is a traitor too, how can you live under the same roof as her? _

Mavis ignored the voice she kept hearing, but deep inside she found herself agreeing with it.

"I...It's... It's just too painful, dad" she finally blurted between sobs. She wasn't just sad because of her Zings abscense, she was now sad about the posibilty that the voice in her head was right, that her father was indeed somehow involved with the only mother figure she had ever known. _Shouldn't I be happy that dad is looking towards the future?_

_You kidding me? He did all this to you and you think you should be happy for him?_

Dracula embraced his daughter. It broke him to watch her cry, but he was also concerned about the side-effects of her voluntary starvation. _How can I tell if she's still the girl I raised? _This and other questions haunted him ever since the incident, and he was very afraid of the consequences it carried. After all, the vampire mind was a lot more complex than that of humans and other monsters.

After a couple of minutes of checks and questions, Dracula left his daughter on her room with a glass of blood-beaters. Hilda had explained that a sudden injection of nutrients would upset her weakened metabolism and cause severe discomfort and sickness.

The young vampire gulped the contents in one go, an apparently bad move since she began feeling light-headed once more.

"Not again!" she muttered, holding her forehead and heading for the mirror she kept on her room. Normally, she wouldn't be able to see her reflection on the surface, but this time she could clearly see herself in face to face. Except that her reflection had fiery red eyes instead of her sky-blue ones, and had an evil smirk etched on her face.

"Not good, daddy's girl, not good at all" the clone said, and the vampiress felt the pain on her ribs rise until it forced her on her knees. She now could see the clone standing in front of her, unhappy expression unmoved.

"I gave you a last chance, hon" the evil being cautioned, casually inspecting her sharp nails, "you ain't covering your part of the deal, princess, and that is unacceptable"

Before she could snap back at it, Mavis was propped up by her neck, and then pinned down against the stone wall. The wall actually cracked at the impact, which now brought back the sharp pain of the first bruises.

"I think I did not make myself clear" it said to her hostess, " this is your last chance to grow some back bone and confront the bastard that took away everything from you. Waste my time like that again and I'll take what's mine rightfully without consideration. It's your choice"

Mavis began to choke, the pressure on her throat now unbearable. The pressure suddenly subsided and she saw what was going on: she was strangling herself. She pulled her arm away from her throat and used her desk to support herself and get some air.

_What's wrong with me? Am I going insane?_

_Not yet, princess, but if you don't deliver I'll destroy you._

* * *

_From the Diary of Count Dracula, October 21, 2012_

_If I was afraid of whatever that was wrong with Mavis yesterday then I'm terified today. Nutrients deficiency on our kind always leaves scars, both mental and physical. My little bat now looks like a skeleton, it will take her some time to recover from that, but now I'm worried about the possibility of her being hallucinating. If my theory is correct, her speaking into thin air and to herself might indicate... psychological damage. This the fallout of Johnny's departure, I'm sure of it, but I got no way of making it right, I've pretty much given up trying to find Johnathan. I'm out of moves, and I am terrified of it._

-Vlad Dracula

Claire knocked at the wooden door, expecting an answer. A sigh could be faintly heard, followed by "Come in". The vampiress entered the office and headed straight for the old vampire, albeit not very fast.

"Hey, I heard Mavis is up again" she lightly said. Dracula had his head on his hands, but immediately looked up when he recognized the voice. He instantly felt a lot better, and stood up to embrace his lover.

While Claire was happy to be welcomed by the Count, she detected an unhealthy tension in the vampire's back muscles, and (correctly) guessed he was stressed out.

"You OK?" she asked, massaging his muscles to try and get him to relax. Dracula could only sigh and let her hands work.

"It's been a very long day, and long weeks too"

Claire understood what he meant, and knew she would have to do something about it if she was to help him.

"Anything I can do to help you with it?" she asked, hoping to be of any help to the grieved down vampire.

"Just... stay with me today" he said, kissing her softly in the lips. The vampiress felt like melting (Dracula could be romantic without even trying), and then figured she could do a lot more than that.

"Come" she said, pulling the Count by his shirt's neck. She lead him to the coffin and both set their corpses on the wooden "bed", not parting their lips during the process. Claire began unbottoning Dracula's vest, slowly, no rush needed. The old vampire didn't felt like stopping her, and instead worked on her dress' back zipper once she was done with both his vest AND his shirt. Claire slipped out of the clothing, with nothing but her undergarments to cover her pristine body. Her Ivory skin was marked with quite a few of Dracula's own "appreciations", the faint marks of passionate love taking their time to fade away. This time, however, Claire took command of the situation, trailing the Count's neck, with sensual slowness, as if enjoying every milimeter of it. She trailed her hands on his chest, a path that she later revisited with her lips, every now and then bitting softly into the vampire's skin. Dracula was effectively disabled, the sensations he was being bombarded with too much for him to do anything. He felt a thugh on his pants and, next time he looked, he had no pants at all. Both vampires were now taking shallow breaths, but that didn't stopped them from sharing passionate kissess, their body temperature rising so much that they felt like they were about to burst on fire. Dracula's deft hands relieved Claire of her last clothes, while the vampiress took her time to repay the kindness.

Their unclothed bodies met again, both of them following each other's rythm, not leading too much but actually letting the heat of the moment take them. They were not strangers to each other's bodies, but they felt like they were intimating for the first time, and, as such, they cherished every moment of the experience, from the inocent kiss that started it to the final climax, where Dracula's name escaped his lover's lips as their pleasure peaked.

Claire felt drained of her energy, and rested her head on Drac's chest, while he embraced her with an arm and pulled a blanket over her figure with the other. They both fell asleep shortly after, with smiles of satisfaction and happiness.

* * *

Claire was late for work. While Dracula had told her that she shouldn't work like she did ( she was, after all, the manager's girlfriend), she disagreed with it. She openly admitted being a work-a-holic, although since the start of their relationship she had moderated it quite a bit.

"Where the hell is my other shoe?!" she muttered, looking for the stray footware.

"Missing something?" she heard in a playful tone, and turned to see the Count holding her shoe. She smirked and tried to snatch it from him. The old vampire took it away from her reach and then used the distraction to steal a kiss from her rossy lips. _Ah, two can play that game!. _She used the kiss to swiftly steal back her shoe, and then pulled back to finish her outfit. She headed for the door, but the embrace of the vampire stopped her when she was already out. She laughed lightheartedly and pressed a kiss to Dracula's lips.

"I'll be back before sunrise" she said in a lovesick tone.

"I'm gonna miss you"

"It will be short, I promise"

She left for her work and he did the same, not realizing a certain young vampire had been watching them.

* * *

_TRAITORS!_


	6. Rebellion

**Rebellion**

Mavis bursted into her room, slamming the wooden door so hard that it almost popped out of its hinges. The young vampiress was filled with negative emotions: anger, hate, distrust, bitterness. And sadness. _I'm a damned fool! I trusted them and this is what I get, a slap in the face? Them rubbing their love in my face?_

"What? This is not me, I would never..."

"...think that way? Oh, poor little princess, enclosed in her preeeeetty little bubble. What happens when it bursts?" Mavis slowly turned to her mirror, watching the now-very-familiar reflection on the reflective panel. She was tired of it, the voice harrasing her, the smirk, the red eyes... She trusted her fist forward, hitting the glass and shattering it on impact. Sharp pain flooded her hand, as she pulled it back and took away splints that had lodged on her knuckles, making her bleed heavily. Normally, the wound would be closed by now, but it remained opened, still bleeding, and Mavis began to panic, shock threatening to happen at any time. A malevolent laughter rang on her ears, and then felt like being taken over from head to toes, as if she was not in control any longer.

_We do it the hard way, then..._

* * *

Dracula sat on his desk, tending to the normal paperwork. The bills were unusually high that month, but it was always the case whenever Wayne went with his pups.

While he was slightly more up-beat than last night, he still couldn't do much but wonder about his daughter and her welfare. He was lost in thought for a moment before a heavy and noisy banging came from the door.

"I'm coming!" he shouted from his desk. _Last time I lock this door, ever, _he thought to himself. _Must be one of the few permanent guests. _He was utterly surprised when what he found outside was not a guest but his daughter, who looked pretty angry and stern. _What the..._

"Mavis? What are you doing her..."

"How long?" she interrupted, flatly and with a hint of disgust.

"What do you mean with th..."

"How long have you been BETRAYING ME?!"

The old vampire could now see her blood-red eyes, and instantly knew that he was at risk should he not take her seriously. _But what is she talking about?_

"Honey, I know I did wrong with the fake village, but I haven't lied to you ever since then. I..."

" Really? AND WHAT IN THE FLYING FUCK DO YOU CALL WHAT I SAW TODAY?! I SAW YOU AND THAT... BITCH, VERY COMFORTABLE WITH EACH OTHER!. WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?! TELL ME!"

Dracula was in shock. Complete, unbreakable, extreme shock. _She saw us. Together. Oh, God. _While what he and Claire had done wasn't wrong at any rate, they had never told Mavis about it, and weren't planning on doing it any time soon, due to the recent turn of events. But now their decision proved to be a bad one.

"Mavis... honey... you don't understand..."

"Don't dare, don't you dare call me honey" she snapped, eyes now welled with tears and chest heaving from anger, "I lost my Zing, the love of my life, because of YOU! I've spent all my life chained and locked away in this castle, all because of YOU! And now you don't even have the damned BALLS TO TELL ME THAT YOU AND THAT WHORE ARE TOGETHER?!"

Mavis kicked a nearby chair, slamming the furniture against the wall and shattering it. She was angry, she was hurt, and above all, she felt betrayed, by her own father no less. Dracula had backed up from his daughter during her accusation, and was now sitted in a recliner that he had stumbled on during his retreat, encased in his cape as a futile attempt to shield himself.

"Mavis..."

"SHUT UP!", her shout echoed on the soundproofed room, shaking loose objects slightly, "I'm done with you. You ruined my life, denied me of my future and happiness and lied and deceived me"

"Honey..."

"You are dead to me. I have no father nor family but my dead mom"

The young vampiress turned into mist and exited through the bottom of the door. Dracula just sat there, not moving a muscle, mouth slightly opened in shock, and a heart broken by his daughter's words. _Dead?_

* * *

NO! What did you do?! STOP!

_I didn't do anything, princess, I am not real. This is what you've always wanted..._

* * *

_A lonely bat escaped the castle that night, hefting a suitcase in her talons while zooming away at top-speed. Tears fell from her eyes as she went her own way, not of sadness, but of hurt and anger. Anger at her father for his transgressions, but also anger and shame for her own actions. She could not watch her father to the face after what she said, and as such decided to leave. She didn't know where to go and what to do, but anywhere else seemed like a better place. Maybe someday he'll forgive her..._

* * *

Dracula spent his 8th hour trying to find his daughter. After he discovered her departure, he scrambled his security armors to the sorroundings, but it was all moot. He eventually returned to the hotel, and tona waiting Claire who could not hire her own dispair. Despite knowing what Mavis had said about hair (the Count was an awful liar when it came to her) she held no hard feelings for the teenager.

"She's gone for good" Dracula muttered sadly, watching his daughter in a painting on his office. The painting in question depicted a toddler, no more than 40 years old, sitting on her father's legs and widely smiling, two little pearls occupying the space were her fangs began to grow. The old vampire could no longer hold his pain and cried on the spot, in front of the portraits representing the only blood relative he had left, who was now gone; lost somewhere on the big outside world.

* * *

_From the diary of Mavis Dracula, October 31, 2012_

_It's been little more than a week since I left the hotel. I don't know exactly where I am yet, I've avoided humans ever since my escape. I ain't afraid about them, I just don't want to remember about Johnny. I haven't had time to think of him lately, and I don't want to, it's just going to be another problem to the list. _

_Today is Halloween, one of the few festivities celebrated in monster world. I still can remember every of the parties __Dracula organized, I miss everyone so much. But after what I did, I cannot face anyone in there. And so, Mavis Dracula is gone, I'm just Mavis now, I cannot even defile my mom's maiden name by using it. But it's OK. I asked for this, didn't I?_

_-Mavis _

Mavis closed the book and stowed it away in the small suitcase. She hugged her legs and just sat in the rocky floor of the small cave, remembering a specific Halloween party that happened when she was 56 years-old. Her father had listened to a few new human songs and asked the band to play them. The dancefloor had been very lively, but the Count was very busy keeping an eye on the party, much to his daughter's chagrin. Sometime near the end the young vampiress had finally taken her dad to the dancefloor and got him to relax. While she was too short to dance with him, he didn't mind, and he had her put her feet on his so he could lead her, both of them having a lot of fun that night, in a father and daughter moment that would never fade from their memories. The runaway teen then thought back at her dad and Claire's relationship, and agreed that she had had no right to be mad at them. At least she knew her father was in good hands.

"He is, but you know he will suffer" the familiar being told her, no evil or sass on its tone. Her clone was standing against the cave wall, arms crossed and looking at her. It made Mavis angry, and she couldn't hide it.

"This is all your fault. YOU did this!"

"No, you did". The statement chilled Mavis to the bone, but she couldn't say why.

"None of this would have happened if you just said what you felt. Instead you hid it and bottled it, until you could take no more"

Mavis was paralized. It was right. _It IS right..._

"But now you are here, and you have a decision to make: either stay here and lament for the rest of your life, or try to fulfill your dreams about the world"

"You mean "our" dreams", sad the girl, suspicion tethering to her voice.

The clone just stared at her before answering:

"No, I need to go if you want to achieve your dream. There's only one way"

Mavis noticed her nails were now sharper and slightly longer. _Like claws..._

She looked incredulously at her clone, a figment of her imagination... yet so real.

"But..."

"You need to be yourself. To understand that there are some things you cannot let slide. You can't be as lenient as you were. I won't be gone, I will just be a part of you now"

Involuntarily, almost without will, Mavis slashed at its throat. She could feel skin parting on the tips of her fingers, and the smell of blood. _So... real..._

Her clone just stood there, unmoved by the mortal wound, a warm smile plastered on her face.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. After all you've done, you can still follow your dream"

The ethereal being misted out of existance, leaving Mavis on her own.

_She felt truly alone for the first time..._


	7. Whiskeytown

**Whiskeytown**

**Being a long time I know, I know. Let's get down to it.**

_From the Diary of Mavis Dracula, September 28, 2013_

_Today I become 119__th__. I used to long for my birthdays, knowing Dracula would set up a big party and invite his adopted brothers. But now? I'm alone, nobody to go to. It's also... the date of Johnny's departure. One more year without him. _(A single teardrop stains the page) _Funny thing about faces: I can barely remember what Johnny looks like, yet I vividly remember my first sunrise, the kiss at the birthday party, the pool party... _

_I arrived here yesterday. Ireland, if the map doesn't lie to me (or if I read it correctly. I still have trouble with it). I'm supposed to be someplace called Dublin. The streets are lit tonight, yet there is a gloomy feeling about the general place. I'll not be here for long, I hope, but it's certainly an interesting place to nose around. Maybe it will help my mood._

_-Mavis_

The vampiress tucked the book away on the small pack she carried, which had replaced the old suitcase she fled with months ago. She sat on the edge of a not-so-tall building, overlooking a small part of the city. The sun had set an hour ago, and the young girl had seized the opportunity to explore the new environment. She lowered herself discreetly to street level, using her ablity to walk on the walls. The alley she landed on was poorly lit, with only a couple of bulbs to...

"Well, well, what we got here. Check this out, Thumbs"

Mavis froze when she heard the male voice. She turned around to face a muscled man, dressed poorly and dirty, with wild eyes and a malicious expresion on his face. The girl wasn't impresed nor scared, having dealt with bad people ever since she started traveling on her own, vampire strenght always giving her the edge she needed to end the brief conflicts.

"Looks like we get to have some fun tonight" a second, harsher voice joined, belonging to a thinner but older-looking guy, just as badly-dressed as the first one. They slowly began cornering Mavis, making her back away until her scape routes were blocked. The vampiress felt slightly nervous, not willing to fight these guys, who were obviously too crazed and on something to control themselves.

"Stop right now. I don't want to hurt you" she said in a firm voice and stone-faced demeanor. She was resolved not to let them do anything to her, but she was still debating wether to hurt them or not.

"Oh, you hear that, Thumbs? Little pussy-cat is gonna use her nails! Oooh, I'm so scared!"

The alley ended with a wall to Mavis' back, and the situation solved on it's own: fight of flight. Mavis was ready for anything, but not for what came next. A third man joined the scene, but instead of threatening her he expertly delivered a double-punch on the large guy, knocking him out cold. The newcomer stepped into the dim light, enough to make out his outfit, but his face remained obscured due to a high-neck trench-coat he was wearing, complemented with a brown beret. He swiftly dodged strikes from Thumbs, blocking the third one and kneeing him in the stomach. Something thumbled to the ground from inside the doubled-over man, the stranger looking at it and then grabbing him by the neck.

"I thought we were clear about what would happen if I caught you both with this shite again, pal"

Thumbs just looked blankly at him. The stranger adressed Mavis brief and tersely.

"You should leave, lady. Me pals and I are 'bout to have a whale of time. Won't we, Thumbs?"

Mavis could barely understand the heavy accent, but she understood enough to go away and mind her business. As she quickly exited the darkened alley she heard four loud pops and muffled screams, the stranger emerging a few seconds later with a hand on his pocket and a cigarret on the lips. He seemed to look up to Mavis and froze as he fished for his lighter. They held their gazes for a moment and then he broke off up the street at a leisure pace, leaving the vampiress both shocked and in wonder.

_Who was that guy?_

* * *

_When on the road to sweet Athy,  
Hurroo Hurroo  
When on the road to sweet Athy,  
Hurroo Hurroo  
When on the road to sweet Athy  
A stick in the hand, A drop in the eye  
A doleful damsel I heard cry  
Johnny I hardly knew ya  
_

_Gee, thanks. Just what I needed_, Mavis thought, a glass of beer in her hand. She had discovered the soothing properties of alcohol little time after she began traveling (and the mandatory hangover after drinking too much), and how it helped her to cope with her zing's abscense. The song's lively metal chords did little to lessen the sting that the lyrics caused to her. She sipped from the glass, trying to bury the memory again, focusing instead on what had happened just a couple of hours ago.

Had that guy...

"They ain't dead, if that's what bothers you, lady"

The voice, familiar enough, made her turn to the table behind her. The stranger was sitting there, whiskey on his hand and reading a local newspaper (old, even if it was from that day). Mavis could only wonder how could someone hurt others and be so calm about it.

"How?"

"How can I do it, how did I get here or how do I know what you are thinking?"

"Uhm... nevermind" Mavis said, returning to her drink. The stranger stopped reading the paper, folded it and left it on to of the table, turning to look at the hunched girl.

"Well, lady, in that order: I've done it for a while, I happen to have legs and I read minds."

Read minds. That got Mavis' attention.

"Read minds?" she said, returning her gaze towards him, "but... humans can't read minds"

He laughed, more like a scoff or a dog grunt, but obligued for her.

"Who ever said I was human, young lady?"

A monster?

"Are you..."

"Yes, I am, tough some people would arguee that I'm just a "gifted" lad. Flippin stooks."

"But how? You look so... human"

"Anyone with something that shouldn't have is a monster in the eyes of the world. Some just happen to be unlucky."

Mavis cringged a bit at the dry remark, knowing it to be true. Humans tended to be... judgemental, even among themselves.

"Alas, I sense that there's something else bothering you... somethin' more... let's say, personal"

The vampiress' temper flared, and her eyes became red for a moment. She stood up, smacked her hand on the table in front of the guy and stood face-to-face with him.

"Don't push it, "pal""

He was unmoved by her outburst, looking her straight in the eye. His stare was so cold that Mavis backed away, and the patrons of the pub returned to the activities they had stopped. He softened his expresion, allowing emotion to come back to his face.

"Why don't you sit and cool down? Pat, two Pints of Gat"

Mavis felt unsure, being in the same table with a guy. _He's kindda handsome._

_Wait, what? _

It caught her off-guard, thinking of him as handsome, of all things.

"Well. Now that you are less ticked, is it something you would like to talk about?"

"Yeah, right, no offense, but I don't go about telling my personal life to strangers. Specially not those whose name I don't now."

The guy laughed.

"Alright, it's only fair. Padraigh O'Donnell, at your service, young lady. Do I get the honor of knowing your name?"

Mavis chuckled slightly at the mock chivalry, and realised it was the first time since...

_Johnny._

"Wait, if you can read my mind, I'm sure you know what's the matter"

"Ah, yes, but that would be cheating, wouldn't it?"

The smile on Mavis' face widened up a bit.

"I'll tell you what, you tell me about you and I tell about me" she declared, crossing her arms over her chest. The beer arrived almost at the same time.

"Fine. I'm 28 years old, I like to read and a good beer. That cuts it?"

The vampiress laughed softly, which in turn made him laugh the same.

"No, of course not. How did you grow up, relatives, you know, that stuff"

"Can't remember much of it. I've been hit in the head way too many times."

"Well... how about what happened in the alley?"

He shifted, ever so slightly, uncomfortable about the issue.

"Yeah, that. I used to do oddjobs for the IRA..."

"The what?"

"Sorry, the Irish Revolutionary Army. They are one of the sides battling it out for the "liberation of the Irish Motherland". I don't buy any of it, but it used to put the bread on my table. Anyways, the guys at the alley were not only trying to harm you, they also dealed drugs. We don't like that business in here, it's disgusting, and back in the day we.. used to punish them by knee-caping them"

"That sounds horrible" she said, slightly shocked

"It is, but it was also efective. In the end, I refrained from staying in on that business. Way too many people killed with no apparent reason, and to know that I was somehow involved on it... it made me sick. Today I run a shipping company, I move stuff in and out the island. And here I am"

Mavis was half-way through her glass when he finished.

"It... sounds like an awful story. Mostly"

"It is true, unfortunately. But it's in the past" O'Donnell answered, sipping from his own drink, "Now, a deal is a deal, lady"

"Mavis. My name is Mavis"

"Mavis... that's a beautiful name." she blushes slightly at the compliment, unused to them after a year of lone trekking.

"Yeah, moms usually pick good names", they both laughed slightly at the remark.

The vampiress and her savior spent the best part of three hours in the pub, sharing drinks and listening to each other's stories and experiences. Mavis could do nothing but be amazed at what her companion had lived in such a relatively short life. Padraigh (or "Paddy" for short, according to him) seemed like a person that had seen it all. When they were finished, they felt like they had known each other since they were little.

"Thanks for the drinks" Mavis said as they exited the pub, light rain now pelting on the street.

"Anytime" O'Donell answered, "Are you staying in-land for long?"

"No, not really, I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow"

"Well, that's a shame. I was hopping you would stay longer." He fished into his coat and produced a business card, which he presented to Mavis, "If you are ever in town again, or if you need anything, you can give me a call."

She took the card, gazing slightly away from him, blush in her face.

"_I will, I promise."_

* * *

After saying good bye, Mavis had climbed back into a building, looking for a hole were she could sleep as a bat. The night was giving way to the day, yet she couldn't take her mind off what had happened that night. Was she falling for another guy? _No, it can be. I have already zinged!_

_But what if it's not a zing?. _

_Is it necessary for me to have a zing to like somebody?_

_Is it right?_

She remembered the first song she had heard on the pub, and she strangely found the answer to her questions in a single line of it.

_Johnny, I hardly knew ya._


	8. Sand, Beach, and Bats

**Sand, beach and bats**

_From the Diary of Mavis Dracula, February 4th, 2014_

_It's been a while since I wrote in you, my old friend. Finally made it to Hawaii (or Haweewee, as I like to call it). I've never seen anyhting like it. Even at night, the streets are so full of life and activity, it's almost like if nobody ever sleeps here. And to think that it was where Mom met Dracula... I guess I now know why they zinged._

_I wished I wasn't here alone. Ever since I met Paddy we've kept contact with each other. I went back to Ireland for human Christmas, he invited me to his home for dinner. I expected there to be a lot of people, family or friends of his, but I learned the hard way that he didn't have much of these left. "But it's okay", I remember him saying. It was wonderful, he's a really good listener, and I just can't stop talking when I'm with him. He offered me to stay at his apartment, but I really didn't want to crash on him like that, so I refused. After a week I left again, but before leaving he gave me one of these weird "cellphones" that humans use to comunicate. We talk to each other at least once a week, and it's... comforting. To know there's someone I can rely on, even if we met not long ago. It still makes me uneasy, tough, if I'm really falling for him. He's a sweet guy, like none I've met before, except... well... Johnny. I'm resigned to never see him again. But that doesn't help me decide. Is it posible for me to love without feeling a Zing?_

_-Mavis_

The vampiress closed the book, clutching it near to her chest. She was sitting in a deserted beach, the sand stinging inside her sneakers. The view was beautiful, moonlight shinning on the water of the Pacific Ocean. She could hear all sorts of sounds, nature blending the artificial chorus of the city. Mavis couldn't do much but admire and enjoy the view.

After 5 minutes, she picked up her pack and began walking back to the city. She wanted to give Paddy a call but she wasn't sure if he was busy. She stopped, raising the cellphone and looking at the blackened touchscreen. She debated wether to give it a try and risk interrupting an important business. She reluctantly powered on the device and dialed his number, her only contact in her list. Two dial tones rang, indicating he was being reached.

_Pick the phone up. Paddy._

* * *

O'Donnell had had a long day. Customized service and consultation rarely required him to travel almost half of the world, yet he had accepted the contract without much in the way of hesitation.

He was now taking some time off, letting a few of his employees take care of the blunt of the work. The beachline he was now trailing seemed like out of a postcard, even at night. He was wondering if he could surf at night when his phone vibrated inside the pocket of his pants. He grunted slightly, thinking it was probably the client calling to complain... again. He was reluctant to take the call until he saw the caller ID

_Mavis_

He instantly answered the call, cheered up by the prospect of chatting with the lovely young girl.

"Hello, O'Donnell Logistics, Mr. O'Donnell speaking" he mocked a little bit, earning a small chuckle from the other side the line.

"_Yeah, hello, I was wondering if you know where I could find my friend. You know him: Irish, likes beer, has a badass attitude" _Padraigh laughed, ever so slightly.

"How is the world treating you, young Mavis?"

"_Ah! There you are!" _she answered giggling, "_It' fantastic, Paddy, the world is treating me well enough. I've just arrived to my latest destination, in fact."_

"Ah, well, nice to hear that. Where did you go now? China? Russia? Egypt?"

"_Nothing too fancy. I'm in Hawaii"_

O'Donnell froze on the spot. _No way. There's no way in bloody hell..._

He looked up again, and he saw a small figure stopping, smartphone in hand and leveled to her ear

"_Paddy? You there?"_

* * *

"Paddy, I can't hear you, you still there?"

_"Uh? Oh, yes. Hawaii you said?"_

"Yeah, why, anything wrong?"

_"No, no! Of course not. It's just... well... uh, why dont you turn to your right?"_

"What?"

The vampiress lifted her gaze, and finally saw him, frozen on his feet. She suddenly broke on a run, closing the distance between them in no time with her vampire speed, happiness invading her. She locked her arms around him, hugging him tightly. The Irishman was taken by surprise, but he gladly returned the hug.

"What are you doing here?" Mavis asked, still surprised to see him.

"Working... sort of" he answered, babbling a little. It had become common whenever he was around or talking to her. They just looked at each other, not saying a word, unaware that they hadn't broke apart too much, Mavis in his arms and faces just centimeters apart. They finally realized their awkward position and broke off, Mavis blushing heavily and Padraigh rubbing the back of his head.

"So..." he continued, "where are you staying?"

"Uh... well... you know, any little hole I can find to sleep..."

"What!? No, no, no, no, no."

"What? It's not that bad, I don't have to pay for anything. And that's good because I've got no money."

"No, no! I can't let you sleep outside! How would that make me look?" he grinned at this remark, making her giggle. "Tell you what, come with me, I'll get a room for you in the hotel"

"Hotel?" Mavis asked blankly. She had seen no hotels on her way there, although she wasn't really paying attention to human settlements on her trips.

"Yeah, you are a-minute-walk away from one of the best hotels in town. Come on, let's get you some decent accomodations"

"No, Paddy, I can't..."

"Won't take no for an answer, lady. Let's go" he said, jokingly pushing her by her back. Mavis was laughing all the way to the hotel, protesting while O'Donnell kept pushing her slightly, both of them thrilled to be in each other's company. When they reached the reception desk the receptionist addressed them politely, not minding his now-wrinkled business attire and her gothic style of clothing.

"Good night, and welcome to the Aston Waikiki Beachside Hotel. How can I help you, Mr O'Donnell?"

"Good night, can I get another room for this young lady here? Something with ocean view would be nice."

The receptionist checked on the computer, Mavis watching waryly, feeling slightly guilty for letting Padraigh pay for her.

"I'm sorry, sir, the only room we got left is the Royal Kai Lani Suite"

O'Donnell didn't even flinch: "I'll take it"

Mavis gasped. She knew that suites were the most luxurious rooms in hotels, and she didn't know how much humans asked for them.

"Paddy, no, I can't ask that from you"

"I know. But I can." He handed over his credit card to the receptionist, who charged the cost of the room to it. Mavis smiled up to him, but then hid away when she felt the blush on her face.

_What is it with this guy and chivalry?_

* * *

"I can't believe you paid that much for the Suite. Scratch that, I can't believe I didn't stop you from doing it!" O'Donnell laughed heartilly, exiting the elevator with her. They arrived on the Suite's door, stopping in front of it.

"The lady protests too much" he said, handing the keycard to the vampiress, "go ahead, check it out"

"Uh..." Mavis was dumbfounded at the strange lock on the door. O'Donnell took her hand and showed her the unlocking process, at which her heart suddenly began beating faster.

"Sorry... I ain't used to this," she said, focusing on the ceiling, the wall, and anything but him.

"My pleasure"

The door opened to reveal an enormous room, at least by her standards. The decoration was formal and beautiful, she felt like she was on the room of a modern princess. She gazed out the window and watched the ocean, waves crashing against the sand of the beach and the moonlight bathing every corner untouched by human artificial light.

"Look at the view from here! It's so beautiful."

"Yeah, it is". The young vampire turned and saw O'Donnell looking at her, not the outside view. She shied away, a grin of hapiness in her face.

The Irishman could barely believe his eyes. _I don't remember ever seeing someone so beautiful._He broke out of his trance, thinking she might want to visit downtown that night.

"How would you feel about visiting the town"

"Like... tonight?"

"Probably"

"That would be great!"

"Why don't you take a bath and relax and I come for you in an hour? We can hit town and... maybe get something nice?"

"No, Paddy, you've done too much already..."

"Nonsense, come on, there's a lot of places you gotta see"

She giggled while he left for his room, a floor bellow hers. She felt livelier than ever before, her life suddenly meaning something for her again.

_Perhaps a Zing is not everything..._


	9. Two Sides of A Coin

**Two sides of the coin**

**Ok, this is kind of a filler, just to address the "What happened to Johnny" question. Do remember that I said he wouldn't appear very often, if at all. Anyway, here it goes:**

**New York**

Daniel opened the door and sighed. _Why am I not surprised?_

A police office scortted David Breckenridge, owner of the block's bar, who in turn supported an alcohol-smelling Johnathan.

"Jesus"

"I'm sorry, one of my guys serviced him and he just wouldn't stop drinking. I found him when I arrived from my errands. Really sorry man." Brekenridge said, struggling to maintain the drunken man still.

"It's ok, did he caused any problems?" Daniel asked, relieving Johnny from David.

"No problems, sir, Mr. Breckenridge just wanted to make sure he was safe, you know how dangerous streets can be at this hour" the police officer answered in a friendly manner.

"Thank God. I'm sorry, I'm gonna have a good talk with him in the morning. Thanks for bringing him home."

"It's ok, I'll tell my guys to not serve him anymore. Say hello to my sis for me"

"Sure thing, thanks"

Daniel closed the door and headed for the couch in his small living room. He laid Johnny on the couch, fighting the urge to gag at the alcoholic smell. When he finished he paced around the room, thinking to himself. His girlfriend Stacey entered the room, fastening her nightgown,

"He's been drinking again?"

"Yeah. Your brother forgot to tell his guys to not serve him. Just brought him with a police officer"

"Oh, God." Stacey brought a hand to her forehead. It had been 8 months of this, standing the benders of her boyfriend's brother, tolerating his constant smell of alcohol and him never lifting his ass off the couch. She was tired of it, and it was about to end their relationship along with her patience.

"Daniel, listen to me. I think it's about time you talk to one of your brothers or your dad about this. It's not right"

"But what do I do? Nobody wants to take care of him, I can't leave him like that!"

"There must be something you can do! He's about to end us!"

Daniel looked at her, completely blank. _Us?_

"Please, just call your dad, or one of your brothers. Think about it." Stacey goes back to their bedroom, and Daniel is left with more things to consider. He loved his baby brother since he was born, but this was all too much, and he couldn't risk his relationship because of him.

"Johnny, Johnny, Johnny" he muttered, sighing, "what the hell happened to you, bro?" The 23-year-old snored loudly in his alcoholic sleep. Daniel decided to stop the show dry and get to the bottom of the problem.

* * *

**Ramstein AFB, Germany**

"Hey, Robert! You got a call! Your brother, I think!"

Robert steam rolled through the waves of people coming and going.

"Hello!" he answered, rising the voice over the noise, "who's this?"

"_Rob, it's me, Daniel"_

"Dan? What's up sport? Everything alright?"

"_Errr, no, not really. Johnny is crashing with me and Stacey"_

"But how's that bad?"

"_Bro, whatever happened to him he just can't shake it off. He's been drinking non-stop and driving us crazy. I need to do something about this"_

"And you think I can help? Dude, I live in a military base, remember?"

"_Look, I know dad told you something about what happened to him, is there any way it can be helpful? Could you at least tell me what's this all about?". Robert sighed, looking around for evesdroppers._

"Okay, listen, this is all about a girl he met. Apparently this girl's old man ousted him and threatened to kill him if he ever went back."

"_That's it? Dude, that's friggin fixable!"_

"Listen, I don't buy any of it, because dad said some bullshit about them being vampires or shit like that. Our bro is obviously out of his mind"

"_Dude, he's drinking his liver to death! If that's it then I asure you it's not a lie!"_

"Even if it wasn't, what do we do? You don't find vampires as easily as in movies"

"_Didn't dad tell you where Johnny had this thing?"_

"Somewhere in Romania, a small town, Transylvania, I think"

"_Cute. When is your next leave?_"

"Next week, why?"

"_Don't come home, you and I are gonna fix this mess"_

"That... sounds like an awful idea"

"_Either that or you take him to live with you"_

"Ok, I'll play ball. I gotta go"

"_Where to?"_

"Bro..."

"_I know, I know, super secret stuff, see ya next week"_

* * *

Daniel hung the phone and looked at Johnny.

_You better get yourself straight, baby bro._

* * *

"This is amazing!" Mavis stated, looking around her, transfixed with all the beauty surrounding her.

"Believe me, darling, you've seen nothing yet" O'Donnell said, his arm locked with hers. They walked down the street, him pointing the city hotspots while she intently listened to his tour of the city. They walked into the Aloha Tower Marketplace, where she could see various restaurants and shops, all very colorful and cheery.

"So, you never told me what you were in-town for" she said, focusing back on him.

"Ah, not much, I am moving in some musical equipment for a local band. They are having gig at the hotel and their agent got them a sponsorship with a big-shot record company. They gave us a contract to lug around their equipment all the way from Los Angeles."

"Really? A band? They must be good" Mavis perked at the prospect of listening a live human band playing.

"So I've heard, they like to play classic songs, so maybe I like them too. Wanna come? I got free passes."

"I would love to, but haven't you done enough for me?"

"Ah, come on, I only got you a room, that's hardly enough"

"A expensive room, at that! It's enough!"

O'Donnell laughed, finding the vampiress' stubborness cute.

"Come on, it's just a gig, it's not even gonna cost me anything. It's gonna be a bow and tie affair, though, let's find something for you"

"NO! Paddy, please, you'll make me feel bad!"

"Why? It's ok!"

"No, it's not, I feel like I'm abusing of your kindness"

"You're not! I'm doing this of my own accord. Come on, let's have a look in here" he grabbed her hand and got into a fancy-looking store. The vampiress was about to protest again when she saw the clothes. Beautiful dresses, albeit some of them in colors she disliked, filled the room, making her forget what she was about to say.

"What you think?" O'Donnell said, already having selected something for her.

"It's... imppressing. Never seen anything like this!"

"Yeah, why don't you try this?" he said, passing her a set of clothes

"You really think I'll fit in those?"

"You will, and you will look fabulous on it, come on"

The vampiress obligued and stepped into the changing room, dressing into the clothes the irishman gave to her. When she was done she steppped cautiously outside, to a waiting O'Donnell. The man was still loooking around, but his gaze fell on her as soon as she came into view. The red dress accentuated the small curves she had obtained in the last year, and was complimented by a black belt to add contrast. Although simple, the attire made her look very differently, and she could feel it in the way Padraigh was looking at her, mouth slightly agape, completely at a loss of words. He got near to her to appreciate the image before him.

"Y-you look... beautiful" he mumbled, not taking his eyes off her. The young girl got red, averting her gaze to the side, her hands grabbing O'Donnell ones. They locked stares, both of them losing themselves in the other's eyes. Mavis felt like she was floating, not touching the ground. The world around her was irrelevant, non-existant, for a moment. It was just her and Paddy. O'Donnell was simply frozen, not thinking about the job he still had to do or the annoying client that contracted him. His world was just the beautifull vampire girl in front of him. But he was booted back to real life, and so was her.

"So, you like it?"

"Definitely I do. But please, don't, I can't receive anything else from you"

"You can and you will, my dear. We only need some shoes to go with that"

Mavis chuckled at the remark, looking at the shoes in the store.

_They look a little uncomfortable._

* * *

Johnathan awoke, an enormous headache assaulting all his senses.

"Glad you are awake!" Daniel spoke, high enough to cause discomfort, obviously on purpose, "I wanted to talk to you"

"Can you do so more softly?"

"No" Daniel sat in front of Johnny, serious and determined faced. "Listen to me carefully, Johnny. You are my baby bro, I love you a lot, just like all of our brothers, but you are stepping over the line here. If I agreed to dad's suggestion that you come living with me is because I thought it would help you get over whatever the fuck happened to you. But it seems I was wrong. You've been drinking a lot, and everytime you do you do stupid things. You are about to cost me my relationship with Stacey and I CANNOT let that happen" Johnathan froze, incredulous. He had never thought about that prospect, always focused on him and... Mavis. He had never realized that his actions damaged those around him, and he felt bad about it.

"D-Dan... I..."

"Shut up, I said listen. I don't know what happenned to you, but I do know that it is time to do something about it. So, you are going home with mom and dad again, and I'm off to see Rob in Germany" _Is he talking about..._

"NO! Dan, please no"

"Shut it, Johnny! It's obvious this girl is everything for you, I don't care if you think that you are protecting her or yourself, the only thing you are doing is destroying yourself, and, if she loves you as much as you say, I'm sure she's waiting for the second you grow up some balls and go back to her. So, go to the dinning room, have breakfast and get ready, you're going home and you will keep an ear next to their phone. We'll call you when we have news"

Johnny could not believe it. After almost ruining his relationship, Dan was going to try and get him back together with Mavis. Only family could give forgiveness so great, and he was glad to have brothers that loved him so much as to orgive him for what he had done.

"Alright, I will"

"Good, go and make it quick, and please take a bath and shave the beard off, you look like a vagrant, bro"

The redhead chuckled and obeyed, leaving Dan alone in the living room. He lit a cigarrete and puffed the smoke.

_It's gonna be one hell of a trip._


	10. Hesitation

**Hesitation**

_From the Diary of Mavis Dracula, February 5__th__, 2014_

_Today is the night. Paddy says the band will be awesome (he apparently listened to them while they were rehearsing a bit), and I can't avoid feeling excited and a bit nervous. I still don't get why do we need to dress in nice clothes, but I guess I should ask him about it. I'm so ashamed of letting him buy me my outfit, it was so expensive! Yet, he paid for it without even flinching._

_I'm not sure of this, about Paddy. I like him. A lot. But I'm scared he doesn't share my feelings, I don't want to lose the only friend I have. Yet, whenever I'm with him... everything just feels right, I feel safe and comfortable. I don't know what to do, and it's killing me. Maybe I'll find out tonight._

_-Mavis_

The vampiress closed the small book when he heard a knock on the door. She was already dressed and ready, but couldn't shake the funny filling in her stomach. She opened the door and found a neatly-dressed O'Donnell wearing a three-piece tuxedo with a black tie.

"Are we ready, Madam?", Mavis giggled at the light-hearted comment and locked her arm with his, closing the door to her room in the process.

"We are ready, sir"

They took the elevator together, Mavis already picking up hustle with her accute hearing-sense. They were on the top floor a few seconds later, making their way toward the stage, deciding to stay further away from the front row, but close enough to see and hear the band without problems.

"So, you never told me why do we have to dress nicely for a... gig, as you call it", O'Donnell chuckled slightly.

"Something about the sponsor, he is a kind of an excentric man, and he likes fancy stuff. I don't mind if you ask me"

The young girl was about to respond to the commentary, but suddenly the lights dimmed and the stage was covered in fog. She was about to ask what was happening when a wolf howl rang, and people began cheering. A figure on the stage then suddenly began playing, a funky tune that was quite catchy, and soon the rest of the band followed, producing an enjoyable and energic song:

_I got a certan little girl she's on my mind  
No doubt about it she looks so fine  
She's the best girl that I ever had  
Sometimes she's gonna make me feel so bad _

O'Donnell could not avoid glanzing sideways towards his companion, who was transfixed by both the band and the song, a wide smile on her face. He smiled too, and was soon showing Mvis a few small moves that went well with the song.

_Hush, hush  
I thought I heard her calling my name now  
Hush, hush  
She broke my heart but I love her just the same now  
Hush, hush  
Thought I heard her calling my name now  
Hush, hush  
I need her loving and I'm not to blame now_

_(Love, love)_  
_They got it early in the morning_  
_(Love, love)_  
_They got it late in the evening_  
_(Love, love)_  
_Well, I want that, need it_  
_(Love, love)_  
_Oh, I gotta gotta have it_

The couple was now happily listening and moving to the rhythm, Mavis a bit awkwardly, since she was new to it, but was soon laughing and enjoying herself.

_She's got loving like quicksand  
Only took one touch of her hand  
To blow my mind and I'm in so deep  
That I can't eat and I can't sleep _

She couldn't avoid thinking, once again doubting if what she felt for O'Donnell was mutual, but she quickly pushed the thought aside for the sake of the moment. On the other hand, O'Donnell himself had the same doubts in his mind. _Could she really like me? I know I like her, but I don't want to lose her, and if she doesn't like me... _ He mentally slapped himself, leaving the thoughts for later. He would enjoy the moment and worry later. There was plenty time for it.

* * *

Johnatan could barely remember the last time he had been inside an airport. Alcohol probably had something to do with it. As he loked around trying to remember, Daniel arrived and handed Johnny his ticket.

"Ok, bro, you know the drill, you go through security and wait for your flight at the gate. Don't lose your bag and don't talk to strangers"

"Yeah, I know dude", Johnny stopped and hesitated, "Bro, I really... can't thank you enough for this. I mean, I almost like, costed you your girl, and you still..."

"Save it, I'm doing it more for myself, so don't feel very bad about it", they both chuckled, heading for the security checkpoint. Johnny went through it while Daniel waited outside for an extra hour for his turn. While he sat on a small restaurant eating a burger he ordered he pulled out his phone and dialed his newest business partner.

"O'Donnell Logistics, with who am I talking?"

"Hello, this is Daniel Marlow, is O'Donnell in his office?"

"Unfortunately no, Mr. Marlow, Director O'Donnell is currently providing personnal consultation"

"I understand, please, do tell him I called, please"

"_Of course, Mr. Marlow, good day"_

* * *

"We are ready for the last round fellas!", the crowd made disappointed sounds at the remark, but the lead singer went unfazed at them, "Calm down, fellas, we promise good stuff. This is a song that is so awesome that we translated it for you, we are honored to play it, so listen carefully!"

The crowd cheered, and Mavis and O'Donnell followed suit, having enjoyed little over an hour of lively music. The band began playing, the guitarist alone at first, but then the band joined, and the singer followed suit:

_Another hour of silence_

_The time to sign_

_my name in your neck_

_Marking you up,_

_eternal tattoo._

_Before we go back,_

_to talk about money._

"Is it about... us?" Mavis asked to O'Donnell, perplexed.

"Uh... who?"

"You know... vampires..."

"Ah, that. Yeah, but don't worry it's not a bad song, you'll like it... I think".

The girl chuckled, but went back to listening the song.

_Because..._

_When the party is over_

_the tribe will be very thirsty._

_It will be time for the dance_

_of the languids._

"That's not very nice!" she said, mocking indignation.

"It gets better, just give it a sec" answered O'Donnell, laughing lightly while Mavis half-clossed her lids in more mock indignation, but couldn't keep it for much time.

_Another hour, for something forbidden_

_A time for blands_

_A time for rigids._

_I wish I could find_

_The accurate strike._

_The place in your skin_

_to sink my fangs on._

_Because..._

_When the party is over_

_the tribe will be very thirsty._

_It will be time for the dance_

_It will be time for the dance_

_Oh, baby!_

The band finished the song with a minute of sax-heavy solos and fidgeting, to which the couple danced with wide smiles, enjoying every second of each other's company. Mavis couldn't remember a moment in which she had felt more energic and upbeat, specially not in the last year, but it somehow felt right, to be there on her own, with Paddy, dancing until she couldn't stand on her feet and wearing clothes that made her look prettier than she ever thought she could look. The song finished, with incredible grandeour, and everyone cheered, louder than before, the band felt overwhelmed as they stepped forward to thank their public. After they left the stage, the crowd began breaking off to get refreshments and snacks, the vampiress and the irishman deciding to catch a view of the beach before hitting town again. They were silently leaning on the guardrail, watching the waves crash against the beach. Now that the show was over, both of them had thoughts to deal with, unaware that they were occupying the other's mind.

"Uh, Mavis... I...", O'Donnell started, very nervous, "There's something I've wanted to tell you, but..."

The young vampire now stared at him, focusing her attention and noticing his uneasiness. _He looks adorable, doesn't he?._

"What is it, what's wrong?"

O'Donnell looked straight into her eyes, the most perfect set of blue eyes, and he found the resolve he needed to get his point across. He gently grabbed her by the sides of her head and kissed her soft lips, deepening the kiss and stretching it until they were out of breath. Mavis opened her eyes, wide in surprise, to which O'Donnell didn't know what to do.

"I-I...gotta go..." Mavis said, stepping back.

"Mavis, wait!", O'Donnell tried to stop her, but she broke off on a run, leaving him alone.

"_Dammit. I ruined everything!"_

**Yeah, short and not the best one. In case you are wondering about the songs, the first one is "Hush" by Deep Purple and the second is an on-the-spot translation of a popular song in Spanish called "Los Languis" by Soda Stereo, pretty cool one actually. As usual, please leave a review, we live off them (LOL).  
**


	11. Beginning of the End

**Beggining of the End**

Mavis unlocked the door, quickly shutting it closed as soon as she entered the suite. She reclined on the door, sliding all the way down until she was sitting on the floor. She was now crying, but they were not tears of sadness or pain, but tears of joy and uncertainty at the same time. _He likes me. We like each other! But, he's not my Zing. Is it possible? For me to love without having Zinged? Why is it so complicated?! And if he runs? Like.. Johnny. I can't take that kind of pain anymore._The beautiful red dress she wore was now rumpled, but her worries were others at the moment. She tried to make sense of the situation, and then she couldn't avoid to remember.

_She was 45 years-old , and she was crying uncontrollably. She had fallen while roof-walking right on top of her favorite toy, a replica of her Dad's Hotel and her home. While the fall had been painful, the broken toy was a lot more so, because it was given to her by the Count on her 38 birthday. The crying had summoned her father, who soon craddled her in his arms, soothing her and singing a short lullaby to calm the crying vampiress. She finally stopped crying, looking up to the old vampire's eyes._

"_Daddy, it's broken!" she said while sobbing, pointing to the small castle with her small finger. Dracula didn't understand at first, but then he glanced at the toy, seeing the broken castle and correctly guessing she most have fallen on top of it._

"_Don't worry, little mouse. We can repair it. Actually, I'll make a new one for that OK, Mavy Wavy?"_

"_But it won't be the same, Daddy!". The old vampire chuckled, slightly amused at his daughter's stubborness._

"_No, it won't be the same, but sometimes we have to let go of some things, to enjoy better ones later. I promise you, this new castle will be the best-est, awesome-st you've ever had!" he said, tickling his daughter and making her laugh like mad._

"_Thank you, Daddy" the little girl said, kissing his cheek and hugging him. The old-vampire returned the hug, and took his daughter with him for the rest of the day._

Mavis couldn't avoid but smile at the memory, not only for remembering about her childhood, but also because she had answered her own question.

_Thank you. Dad._

_She heard a hurried knock at the door._

* * *

**Five minutes earlier**

O'Donnell sat on a stool on the hotel's bar.

"What can I get you, Mr. O'Donnell?" the bartender asked him.

"Give me a glass of Scotch" he said, unfastening his tie and setting it on the bar unceremoniously.

"Right away, sir". A moment later, he had a whisk with a couple fingers of scotch in front of him. He grabbed and sipped at the amber liquid, while trying to not feel very bad about what had just happened. _Great job, you idiot. You've just spooked Mavis, she'll probably hate you from now on._

His head was a mess of negative thoughts, and the Scotch was certainly not helping his mood,

"Hey, Paddy-laddy", Paul Johnson, the band's lead singer, sat on the stool beside him.

"How you doing, Paulie?"

"Great, great, it was a grnd show, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was" Johnson looked at him, and finally realized how downplayed he looked.

"What's the matter, pal?"

"No offense, Paulie, but we are not close enough for me to be telling you my problems."

"Ah, come on, Paddy. What, is it about your girl?"

"She's not my girl, she's a friend"

"Really? Because you two were very close the whole show, and that girl could not take her eyes off you"

"You are trying to mke me feel better."

"No, dude, I'm for real. You got that wrapped around your finger"

O'Donnell blinked, and suddenly sprang off his stool, running for the door and then towards the elevator.

"_Go get her, pal"_

* * *

Mavis dried her tears, stood up and opened the door. A winded up O'Donnell was standing outside, trying to catch his breath.

"Mavis, I...", he never finished the sentence, the vampire girl pressing her lips against his. This time they were not in a rush to break away, deeppening the kiss for so long that O'Donnell regreted having to break it to get air.

"Does this mean...?"

"Yeah" she interrupted again, her hands around his neck.

_It's a fresh start._

* * *

"You really had to bring that thing, didn't you?"

"What? It's just to be on the safe side of things"

"Look, if Count Dracula exists and he wants to kill us your pea-shooting pistol will not do anything for us"

"Maybe it can! I mean, how sure are we that this vampire stuff is real?"

"Real enough, now, ride "point" as you call it and guide us through this thing, this forest is so thick, no wonder it's very spooky"

"You scared, Danny boy?"

"Move, G.I. Robert!" They both chuckled, Robert using a map he borrowed from his... "job". _Surely they won't miss it._

They walked for another hour befre they arrived to a cemetery.

"Ok, Johnny said there was a path around here that leads to a stone bridge. We cross that bridge and we are "on target"

"You gotta stop watching movies, bro, we don't do much of that stuff"

"Yeah, sure" Both brothers looked around the area, when suddenly they heard the clanking of metal.

"ALERT! INTRUDERS!"

They saw an old-fashioned knight-armor running towards them, and was joined seconds later by three more.

"Uh, oh"

"HUMANS! You are not allowed in here!"

"Dude, that armor is empty, there's nobody in there"

"I am not blind. Still think the vampire stuff is BS?"

"GO! NOW!" the leading armor said, pointing in the direction of the town.

"Listen, we don't want to be trespassing here, but we are looking for some Count Dracula"

The armor shifted, now on a relaxed stance.

"What is it you want with Mr. Dracula?"

"It's about a certain human that came here more than a year ago. Johnathan" Now all of the armors "looked" among each other.

"Come with us, but you'll have to surrender your weapon to me"

"You heard the tin man Robert"

"_Yeah, yeah. Just don't scratch it, please"_

* * *

The castle was bigger than they had expected it to be. They were now in the lobby, attracting a lot of looks, not all of them very friendly, but none hostile so far.

"Bro, there are monster types here that I hadn't ever heard about" Daniel said, looking around in a childish stuppor.

"Yeah, I don't think they are very happy to see us, you know?"

"Doesn't matter, what matters is that Dracula is gonna listen to us"

They heard an elevator reach the floor and saw the doors parting, reveling a tall man with victorian clothes and a long, hooked nose that looked a lot like a beak.

"Leave us" he ordered the armors, and then addressed the two brothers when the security detail had left, "What do you know about Johnathan? Why do you come here asking to speak to me and most importantly, why do you come here armed? Are you monster hunters?"

Robert looked to his brother, unsure what to say.

"Well, you'll see..."

"Let me handle this, Robert", interrupted Daniel, "Count Dracula I presume?"

The old vampire looked at him, not quite letting his gurd down.

"Yes, indeed"

"I'm Daniel Marlow, this is my brother Robert. We are here because... Johnathan is our brother"

The Count froze, his suspicions slightly less strong now.

"Your brother? So you know where he is?"

"Yes, he is back in America. We came here to talk to you because... he misses your daughter. He's been deppressed ever since he came back, doing stupid things, and we are afraid he might hurt himself one of these days. Please, you gotta let him come back here talk to her."

The old vampire sat on a nearby recliner and slumped his shoulders. He had forgotten about finding Johnny for a long time, instead focusing his effots on finding his long-gone daughter. But now...

"I tried. I really tried to stop him from ... the plane... it was too fast... I couldn't catch it. I wish I had, I could have stopped my daughter from leaving"

"Wait, leaving?" Robert asked, incredulous.

"She... she's gone. She scaped a couple of months after Johnny left"

"Oh, that's just great. We spent a week trying to find this place only for the girl to be gone"

"Calm down, Rob. Sir, do you have any idea where she could be?"

"_If I did, I would have tried to bring her back long ago. She disappeared into thin air, no one has seen her ever since"_

* * *

Mavis looked around absentmindedly, an imposible-to-erase smile on her lips.

"You ready?" O'Donnell said, getting his pack from the security checkpoint's machine band.

"Yes. I am ready. When will we arrive there?"

"Probably tomorrow, it's gonna be a long flight. But a very comfortable one"

"I see. How is it to flight on an airplane?"

"Well, not different from riding a car... except... well, it flies"

The vampiress didn't understand very much, but she giggled slightly at O'Donnell's clumsiness. The irishman embraced the young vampiress, bringing her close to him and kissing her forehead. Mavis blushed slightly, but supported her head on his chest. O'Donnell could not avoid thinking how fortunate he was.

_Things were finally breaking his way._


End file.
